PUBLICATION: The UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative releases new Guide on “Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Development Planning: A Guide for Practitioners”, 2011

We are pleased to draw your attention to a new Guide entitled “Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Development Planning: A Guide for Practitioners”.

Climate change adaptation is an area of growing concern and engagement for many developing countries. The myriad and uncertain effects of a changing climate pose significant risks for development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Numerous initiatives and financing mechanisms aimed at assisting countries with climate change adaptation have been rolled out and are being implemented. Efforts tend to concentrate on developing specific adaptation measures, with a focus on the ones that correspond to countries’ most urgent and immediate needs. Increasingly, countries are coming to realize that, in the long term, climate change adaptation needs to be supported by an integrated, cross-cutting policy approach.

This guide provides practical, step-by-step guidance on how governments and other national actors can mainstream climate change adaptation into national development planning as part of broader mainstreaming efforts. It is aimed at public decision makers and practitioners in developing countries dealing with climate
change adaptation.

In more detail, the Guide:

* describes key concepts related to mainstreaming adaptation to climate change
* presents an operating model to mainstreaming climate adaptation
* provides guidance on finding the right entry points into national development planning and making the case to decision-makers
* outlines how to integrate climate adaptation into policy processes, including collecting country-specific evidence
* offers guidance on meeting the implementation challenge from strengthening national monitoring systems to budgeting processes and policy measures at national, sector and subnational levels to strengthening institutions and capacities

The guide draws on substantial experience and lessons learned by the UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative in working with governments to integrate environmental management for pro-poor economic growth and development into national development planning and decision-making. The Guide can be accessed at: www.unpei.org/knowledge-resources/publications.html